Resilient roller skate suspension



Sept. 21, 1954 w. WARE RESILIENT ROLLER SKATE SUSPENSION Filed Oct. 1, 1949 INVENTOR. 04%7 Ware BY K, W %M $2 Patented Sept. 21, 1954 RESILIENT ROLLER SKATE -SUSPENSION Walter Ware, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Roller Skate Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Arizona Application October 1, 1949, Serial No. 119,041

between'the skate body and the wheels, and it has particular reference to the cushioning member and the mounting for the cushioning member.

The present invention is directed to a roller skate of the type wherein a degree of flexibility is provided between the wheel axles and the main skate frame so that within limits the wheel axles may shift and twist to facilitate turning of the skate upon application of an appropriate turning force and to facilitate the return of the wheel.

axles to the normal or forward position upon removal of the turning force. This turning of the wheel axles with respect to the skate frame is accomplished by tilting the frame to one side or the other while retaining the skate wheels firmly upon the supporting surface. The cushioning member issubjected to compression forces and bending forces in addition to torsional forces when the wheel axles are turned with respect to the skate frame. Further the cushioning member must withstand the normal compression forces due to the weight of the skater and should provide a degree of resilience between the skate frame and the wheel axle as the skate wheels are contacted at the floor or other support surface whereby to greatly reduce contact shocks and to enhance the feel of the skate. v

1 Difficulty is encountered in constructions of the foregoing type in providing a cushioning member which gives the desired degree of support while at the same time giving the desired resilience and the turning and twisting motion of the wheel axle with respect to the skate body as described above. The mountings for cushioning members provided heretofore have not satisfactorily utilized the. resilient properties of the cushioning member and have tended to injure and impair the action of the cushioning member.

It is accordingly the object of theipresent invention to provide an improved cushioning member for roller skates.

More specifically stated, it isthe object of the invention to provide an improved cushioning member for rollerskate wheel axles which will permit the desired motion and combinations of A further object of the invention is to provide in roller skates of the type described, a mounting for cushioning members which distributes the various forces encountered throughout thebody of the cushioning member and which tends to preserve the life of the member by reducing the wear thereon.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein certain preferred embodiments are set forth for purposes of illustration.

In a drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a roller skate incorporating a cushioning member and cushioning member mounting constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the invention in accordance with one selected embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial side view, partly in cross-section, of the roller skate shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the skate structure of Figure 1 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 thereof;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cushioning or buffer member and the cap shown in Figures 1 through 3; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through another form of roller skate constructed in ac cordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings and first to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 through 4, in Figure 1 is illustrated a partial skate structure comprising a skate frame In and adapted to be secured to a shoe or other suitable device. At-

tached to the frame plate II] by any suitable means such as rivets are the front and rear hangers l2 and [4 which form attachment means for the wheel axle supports generally designated by the numerals l6 and IS. The front and rear axle supports are preferably similar in character and accordingly only one will be specifically de- 24 carries the front-wheels 26 at its opposite ends in the usual manner and is supported by a wheel truck generally designated by the numeral 28. Truck 28 more specifically comprises a housing 30 for the axle 24 and an angularly upwardly extending arm 32 which is provided at its end with a ball 34. Ball 34 fits within a socket formed in boss 20 and is free to partake of universal motion with respect to the hanger 3 I2. The edges of boss 20 surrounding the recess therein are peened over to retain the ball 34 within the recess.

Formed integral with and extending outwardly from the axle housing 30 is a generally cylindrically shaped support member 36. A tapered aperture 38 is formed in the center of the cylindrical portion of member 36 to receive a stud bolt 48 which is threadedly received by the boss '22 whereby to connect the hanger l2 and the truck 28. Interposed between the bolt 40 and the lower side of member 36 is a suitable washer 42 whose body is bent in such a manner as to provide a bearing surface between the head of bolt 40 and the under side of member 36. With this construction the bolt 40 can partake of universal motion with respect to member 36.

Support member 36 is recessed on its upper surface to receive a cushioning or buffer member generally designated by the numeral 44. As

may be best seen in Figure 4, the bufier member 44 comprises two portions, a generally cylindrical portion 46 and a conoidal portion 48 which is superimposed upon the cylindrical portion 46 and formed integral therewith. In the preferred example shown at Figure 4, the conoidal portion 48 is in the form of a truncated cone whose base is of smaller diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 46 whereby to provide a shoulder 50 at the junction of the conoidal and cylindrical portions. An aperture 52 is provided in buffer member 44 to receive the shank of the bolt 40. Buifer member 44 is made of a rubber or plastic material which possesses the desired resiliency and yieldability.

interposed betweenthe upper end of the buffer member 44 and boss 22 are a cap designated by the numeral 54, a jam nut 56, and one end of a strap 58 which forms part of the main roller skate body. The cap 54 is generally-cylindrical in form and is of such a size and shape as to conform to the upper end of the conoidal portion 48 of buffer member 44. As may be best seen in Figure 2, cap 54 embraces the longitudinal edges of portion 48 along a substantialportion thereof, but the free end 6!] of the cap is turned outwardly away from and out of contact with the walls of portion 48. The longitudinal wall 62 of cap 54 is slightly higher than the longitudinal wall of portion 48 whereby edge 60 is spaced away from the shoulder at the junction of portions 46 and 48 for a reason which will be more fully explained later. Portion 48 snugly fits within cap 54 and is held and supported thereby.

In assembly the stud bolt 40 is threaded into boss 22 a predetermined distance whereby to 'place buffer member 44 under the desired compression. When the skate is in use, the bufier member 44 will be subjected to a constant compressive force and must therefore be capable of withstanding such forces. Any shock or vibrations which tend to be transmitted from the supporting surface to the wheels and thence to the skate body must also be absorbed by bufier member 44. Hence buffer member 44 must also possess a certain degree of resiliency. When the truck 28 is turned with respect to the skate body H] the buifer member 44 is subjected to a cornbination of compressive, bending and torsional forces.

For example, to turn to the right the skater first leans the skate body In to the right as seen in Figure 3. This movement compresses the right hand longitudinal edge of buffer member 44 and to a certain extent will tend to elongate the left hand edge of buffer member 44. Immediately upon tilting the skate body I!) to the right, the truck 28 will rotate in a righthand direction with respect to the skate body 10. Since one end of the buffer member is firmly grasped by the support member 36 and the other end is firmly grasped by the cap 54, the bufier member 44 will be subjected to a. torsional or twisting force. When the skater wishes to proceed in a forward direction again, the skate body 10 is placed in a level position with respect to the supporting surface and at this time it is desirable that the truck 28 be returned immediately to the forward or neutral position. The tension built up in the buffer member by the torsional forces described above will aid in returning the truck to the neutral position provided that the ends of the buifer member have not been displaced with respect to their respective supports. For this reason the longitudinal walls 62 of the cap are so formed as to grip portion 48 for a relatively great distance to provide the required gripping forces.

I This construction also supports the upper end of buffer member 44 and helps displace and distribute thebending and torsional forces towards the central portion of the buifer member. In the absence of such a supporting structure the torsional and bending forces tend to be concentrated at the ends of the biilfer member and increase wear at these points thus lessening the life throughout the body of the biifiei' member a better feel or action is obtained. The free edge 6!] of ca 54 is turned outwardly and. spaced froin the shculae'r 50 in order to pieviit any ciittiiig or wearing action along the longitudinal edge or bufier' member 44 c There is illustrated in Figure 5 a skate structure which the present mvemion has a particularly beneficial application. This skate striietur'e eoinprise's 'a body portion Id, a hanger member generally'designated by the numeral lZa and a truck 28a. The hanger I2a comp-rises a forward boss 20a in which is formed a ball receiving recess and a rear boss 22a which is'eiiternally threaded. v a

The Wheel axle 24a carries the front wheels 26a at its oppositeend's and is supported by the wheel truck 28a. Truck 28d comprises axle supporting portion 302; and an angular-1y upfwardly extending neck portion 10 within which is slidably mounted a shaft 12 at one end bf Which is fixed a bal memuer 340, which is re-- ceived by and fits within the recess formed in boss 29a. The edge of the boss 20a surrounding the recess therein is sufii'ciently peened over'so that ball 34c remains in permanent assoeiation with the hanger boss 7011 after assefnbly er the parts to form a permanent universal mounting. A compression spring 14 may be disposed within the sleeve ill in engagement with the end "of shaft 12. The presence of spring 14' is not mandatory for operation (if the skate and in certain instances may be omitted. I The principal support and nterconnections between t e hanger 12a and the wheel truck z'a-a are the parts which are mcunt a upon and carried by the boss 220. These parts include a bolt 401;, the lower end of whi'ch is suitably threaten andthe upperend "of which is provided with a head portion Hi having a generally spherical lower surface. Disposed around the shank of bolt 40a is a metal sleeve 18 which is, in turn, embraced by a buffer or cushioning member Me which is identical with buffer member 44 decribed above.

The head portion I6 of body 40a is retained in position by means of a nut 80 which is threadedly connected to the hanger boss 22a. Nut 80 is arranged to retain a rubber washer or gasket 82 against the end of boss 22a. An innerspherical surface is provided within nut 80, which surface is shaped to engage and conform with the spherical surface on the head of bolt 40a. These two spherical surfaces form a universal mounting between the bolt and the nut. A space is provided between the head N5 of bolt 40a and the washer 82 to permit such'movement and in the event that bolt 40a shifts sufiiciently so that its head engages the rubber washer, the yieldable and resilient material of the washer insures a shockless engagement. A cap 54a identical in construction with cap 54 described in detail above, embraces the upper end of buffer member 44a and is interposed between buffer member 44a and nut 80.

The truck 28a has a buffer member receiving portion 38a provided with an upstanding flange 84 which engages the lower end of buffer member 44a. Member 36a is provided with an aperture which receives a press fitted bushing 86, the lower portion of which is provided with a spherical bearing surface. Bolt 40a passes through an It is obvious that various changes may be made in the specific embodiments set forth Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is according-1y not to be limited to the particular embodiments shown and described but only as indicated in the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a roller skate structure having a main skate frame and a wheel axle support member shiftable with respect to said frame, a buffer member of resilient yieldable material interposed between said frame and said support member, said buffer member comprising a gen erally cylindrical portion and a conoidal portion, said conoidal portion having a base of smaller diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical portion, the base of said conoidal portion being formed integral with one end of said cylindrical portion, the other end of said cylindrical portion bein mounted on said support member, the free end of said conoidal portion being mounted adjacent said skate frame, said support member and bufier member having aligned apertures therein, a bolt passing through said aligned apertures for interconnecting said skate frame with said support member, the end of said bolt adjacent said aperture in bushing 86 and a castle nut 88 is threaded on to the lower end of the bolt. Castle nut 88 is provided with a spherical bearing surface which is shaped to engage and cooperate with the bearing surface of bushing insert 86 whereby to provide a universal connection between the lower end of bolt 40a and truck 28a. The castle nut after adjustment may be retained in position by a suitable means such as a cotter pin 90.

The provision of a plurality of universal connections and of the compressible buffer member 44a combine to give a full floating support for the truck 28a. More particularly these universal connections combine to permit the truck to tilt or shift universally in substantially any desired direction under the control of the buffer member 44a.

The form of skate shown in Figure 5 can partake of all the motions described above with respect to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, and therefore the buffer member will be subjected to the same type of forces and must meet the same requirements. More specifically, the buffer member constitutes the limiting factor as the parts are stressed so that no shock is imparted to the bolt 40a or associated parts at any time. All shocks are resisted by and absorbed by the buffor member 44a.

The necessary yieldability and resiliency of the support structure in both forms of skate structures is provided by a single buffer member 44 and 44a respectively thus givingthe maximum simplicity and economy of construction, yet obtaining the desired action between the truck support and the skate frame The structure of the buffer member and its associated cap is such as to more nearly uniformly distribute the stresses encountered in operation throughout the body of the buffer member. In addition the cap structure illustrated does not tend to wear or cut the buffer member at the junction of the cap and buifer member.

support member having means thereon providing a universal connection between said support member and said bolt, the other end of said bolt being flat and having means forming a universal connection between said bolt and said skate frame, means providing a flat surface confronting the fiat end of said bolt, and resilient means interposed between said flat end and said fiat surface for resiliently limiting movement of the first mentioned universal connection.

2. In a roller skate structure having a main skate frame and a wheel axle support shiftable with respect to said frame, a buffer member of resilient yieldable material interposed between said frame and said support and comprising a generally cylindrical body portion and a conoidal end portion, said conoidal end portion havin its base offset inwardly from one end of said cylindrical body portion and tapering inwardly therefrom toward its free end, the other end of said cylindrical body portion being mounted on said support a cap for said conoidal end portion having an end wall and a skirt tapered complementally to said conoidal end portion and snugly engaging the same, said skirt terminating short of the offset juncture between the cylindrical body portion and the conoidal end portion to provide increased tightening contact between the cap and the conoidal end portion under stress without tendency to cut or wear the cylindrical body portion in which bending, compressive and torsional stresses are accumulated as restorin forces, the terminal edge of said skirt being turned outwardly to guard against cuttin or wearing of the buffer member, and a stud member extending from said support through apertures in the gap and buffer member and connected to said rame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

